Afghanistan upset Australia despite second hat-trick by Cummins
Cricket
Chaasing a victory target of 148-6, Aussies were all out for 127 runs
(Reuters) – Afghanistan handed an upset defeat to T20 World Cup one of the favourites Australia by 21 runs in Kingston on Sunday.
Chasing a victory target of 148-6, Aussies were all out for 127 runs on the second delivery of the 20th over.
Australian batting line-up crumbled against disciplined Afghanistan bowling attack led by Gulbadin Naib who grabbed four scalps for 20 runs in his four overs. He was ably supported by Naveen-ul-Haq who captured three wickets for 20 runs.
Only three Australian batsmen could enter double figure. Glen Maxwell scored 59, skipper Mitchell Marsh 12 and Marcus Stoinis 11.
AUSTRALIA BOWLING
Earlier, paceman Pat Cummins took a hat-trick for a second match in a row, dismissing three Afghan batsmen in successive deliveries after doing the same against Bangladesh on Thursday.
As in Antigua, the Australia Test skipper took the first wicket, that of Rashid Khan, with the final ball of one over before sending back Karim Janat and Gulbadin Naib with the first two balls of his next over.
On Thursday, Cummins was unaware he had achieved the rare feat until told by team mates but he was in no doubt on Saturday and celebrated with a shake of his fists and huge smile.
"I remembered that one," the 31-year-old said at the innings break. "I've played I don't know how many hundreds of games for Australia and now I've got two in a row."
Cummins was the second Australian, after Brett Lee, and seventh bowler overall to claim a hat-trick in the tournament but is the first to take two.
All three wickets came courtesy of catches, and Cummins would have taken four in a row had David Warner held onto a reasonably straightforward catch running in from deep point to dismiss Nangeyalia Kharote.
It was one of a series of fielding errors from the Australians as Afghanistan, helped by an opening partnership of 118 between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, racked up 148-6 in their 20 overs at Kingstown's Arnos Vale Ground.
"Not our tightest day in the field," Cummins added. "It's uncharacteristic. Maybe (it was) the lights."
